Composite Decking Material

If you're preparing to sell your home this spring but aren't in a position to invest in ambitious renovations, such as a kitchen remodel or new hardwood floors, the best advice is to look to the "bonus" spaces in and around your home and maximize their appeal.

Decks, patios, sunrooms and porches have always been popular with home buyers, but real estate agents say that too often those spaces are neglected or not used to their best advantage.

Upgrades that add living space adds value, and the least expensive way to gain space is to build a deck or turn the one you have into an outdoor room by staging it so that it flows seamlessly with the rest of the house. A great deck can set your home apart from others with the same interior floor plan or square footage, and deck additions typically add value when it comes time to sell.

A bonus space—for example, a tiny deck or rarely used balcony off a master bedroom—can be transformed into a romantic getaway by adding cushioned seating and a raised fire pit. You can safeguard your deck and add designer style with deck stones, 16-inch interlocking square tiles made of natural slate or granite. Deck stones can provide an effective fire barrier that's an asset under fire pits or grills, or when used to create an outdoor kitchen.

More than ever before, people look at their decks as outdoor rooms. For some, it's a kitchen; for others, a living room. Decks can be party spaces or quiet retreats. With so many different types of deck materials, lighting, rail systems and decorative accents, it's possible to turn a nondescript deck into a great outdoor space.

The Latitudes product line features low-maintenance, top-quality synthetic decking, hand railing and accessories. Latitudes Capricorn composite decking gives the exotic look of rich tropical hardwoods which is a current design trend that will instantly update a home.

Whether working with an old wood deck or a new composite lumber custom deck, details count when it comes to staging. Outdoor rail lighting on a deck or patio provides ambience and adds versatility to the space, showing buyers endless possibilities for evening entertainment.

If you want to open up the view on a bonus space, consider replacing wooden deck balusters with tempered glass balusters from Deckorators, or update the rails with distinctive aluminum balusters. New rails will add a dramatic difference to your deck. Deckorators aluminum rail systems come in kits that allow easy installation and give old decks a fresh look at a fraction of the price of a total deck replacement or addition.

Buyers will react positively to nice decks that look like a great place to hang out. From a buyer's perspective, if all else is equal, it's true that the home with the best deck and outdoor living area wins.

With many brands of synthetic decking on the market, few stand out as being ultra-low maintenance. You may ask yourself, what is ultra low maintenance? Well, in my opinion, ultra-low maintenance decking is a deck board that withstands staining and fading that can occur on standard wood plastic composite decking. It should also require only periodic cleaning with soap and water. Latitudes Capricorn^® is a great example of ultra-low maintenance composite decking.



Inspired by Nature. Perfected by Latitudes. 
Capricorn decking uses advanced co-extrusion technology for a surface that not only is virtually impervious to stains, but also keeps its rich, elegant color from fading over time. Capricorn composite deck boards are fully encased in a durable, protective surface layer and are fortified with the same Strandex^® technology used in all Latitudes^® composite decking products.

Latitudes Capricorn decking features two unique tropical colors, adobe and koa. These richly colored boards resemble the exotic hardwoods mahogany and ipê. With a natural-looking woodgrain pattern on both sides, Capricorn bridges versatility and aesthetics in one unique style.

Resistant to fading and moisture, and virtually impervious to stains, Latitudes Capricorn is barefoot-friendly and proven not to splinter, split or rot, providing long-lasting beauty and comfort with no sealing, painting or staining required. In addition to a deck on your house, Capricorn is perfect for pool decking, walkways, porches or anywhere ultra-low maintenance deck material is desired. Latitudes Capricorn is covered by a 25-year limited warranty.

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Composite decking is a great alternative to wood decking. And because synthetic decks are made with wood plastic composite material, you need to take precaution when clearing off snow and ice during the winter season.

Here are three key tips for cleaning off snow and ice from your Latitudes composite deck:

• Shovel all loose snow off with a plastic shovel. Shovel parallel with the grain. Make sure there is NOT a metal blade at the end of the shovel as it could scratch the surface.
• After the snow is gone, spread rock salt or calcium chloride over the deck surface and wait for the ice to melt; then simply shovel away using a plastic shovel. Never chop at the ice as it may gouge the surface.
• Once the weather is consistently above freezing, rinse off the deck surface and lightly broom off remaining salt residue.

Just as wood decking materials can get marred or gouged, composite deck surfaces can be scratched just the same. If scratched, I recommend allowing normal wear marks to fade, as they will blend in with the weathered color over time.

I am not aware of any adverse effects from the temporary use of ice melting products on Latitudes and other composite decking brands; however, I recommend using an ice melt product that has a less harsh effect on the surface. These types of ice melt products may indicate "will not harm concrete" or "will not kill grass" on the packaging. Be sure to brush off any residual ice melt product after the ice and snow melts.

I knew that Latitudes Capricorn tropical composite decking was more than just another pretty board—and others agree! Latitudes Capricorn composite decking is a BUILDERnews awards 2009 Best Products winner in the Decks and Railings category.

Each year, BUILDERnews chooses winners based on criteria including ease of use, durability, inventiveness and innovation in the building industry. Readers are also invited to submit their favorite tools or products they have used throughout the year. “Even in a down economy, there are still hundreds of products released and brought to the market every year. This year’s honorees represent some of the nation’s most innovative products in the industry and ones that our editorial team felt readers would find most useful to build better and stay competitive,” said D.C. Curry-Lawrence, CEO and publisher of BUILDERnews.


Latitudes Capricorn features two unique tropical colors, adobe and koa. These exotic-looking synthetic deck boards resemble tropical hardwood like mahogany and ipe. With a natural-looking woodgrain pattern on both sides, Capricorn bridges versatility and aesthetics in one unique style.

Capricorn tropical decking is fortified with the same proven Strandex technology used in all Latitudes composite products. And it’s co-extruded, which helps make it an ultra low maintenance decking product.

With the addition of Capricorn tropical composite decking, Latitudes has one of the most diverse, attractive and user-friendly lineups of composite decking in the industry.

Resistant to fading and moisture, and virtually impervious to stains, Latitudes Capricorn is barefoot-friendly and proven not to splinter, split or rot, providing long-lasting beauty and comfort with no sealing, painting or staining required. Capricorn is perfect for pool decking, walkways, porches or anywhere low-maintenance deck material is desired. Latitudes Capricorn is covered by an all-new 25-year limited warranty.

Capricorn tropical decking is available in 12-, 16- and 20-foot lengths, in slotted and standard planks. Slotted planks feature the patented Equator® Hidden Deck Fastener. The fastener’s unique design automatically gaps each board and delivers automatic, consistent alignment of deck boards for striking results and considerable savings.

See video on Latitudes Capricorn Composite Decking.

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With the real estate market slowly rebounding from its plunge and credit still tight, housing figures show that more homeowners are staying put. But that doesn’t mean they’re sitting idly by. People are investing in affordable home upgrades that not only make an immediate impact, but make their property more attractive should they decide to put it on the market later.

Today, when it comes to upgrades for your home, it’s all about bang for the buck. Homeowners are looking for the best return on investment as well as simple, inexpensive ways to make dramatic improvements to their homes. Outdoor living spaces, landscaping, decks and patios all make a big difference -- not only in how comfortable your current home is now, but how buyers see it when you’re ready to sell.

The trend in outdoor living space has moved toward creating outdoor living “rooms,” and the options available to homeowners have grown with the number of available products on the market.

When you’re looking at homes in a certain price range, you tend to see a lot of the same things. The features that make a home stand out and make people want to live there are often the outdoor spaces.

Outdoor living products, including composite lumber decking and deck and fence accessories, have continued to sell well in this economy, even as new construction remains slow.

Decking products, such as Latitudes Composite Decking, continue to be desirable for homeowners who are staying put and updating their existing homes rather than moving. Deck updates and upgrades are projects that make sense in this economy and that create added value for the future, as well as enjoyment and added living space for right now.

Composite decking products are low maintenance and eco-friendly. Latitudes is made from 70 percent recycled materials. And “green” home improvements can make a difference when buyers are comparing properties.

Homeowners who already have decks find that swapping out balusters or adding decorative post caps or lights can also make a dramatic difference that adds beauty as well as value to their outdoor living space.

Deckorators offers aluminum and glass balusters in a variety of styles to accent virtually any architectural look. Deck railing balusters can be installed on a new deck or can be used to update the look of an old one.

In neighborhoods where every home has a deck, the nicer decks can help sell the home faster. Typically, it’s about the details even more than the size. Designer rails, deck lights and finishes make all the difference.

Homes are sitting on the market longer, and that causes property owners to look for things they can do to set their property apart. In many areas, that means adding more living space to docks or replacing tired-looking wood decks with long-lasting composite material.

Whether you’re looking to update an existing home for personal enjoyment or preparing it for sale, outdoor living spaces present opportunities for improvement. Turning a generic deck into an inviting and attractive space to spend time sets a home apart, which is what real estate experts say home buyers will look for when the real estate market improves.

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This alternative to pressure treated wood is surprisingly sustainable. The decking market offers dealers and contractors a clear opportunity that is growing in a number of ways. First is market size: The Cleveland-based Freedonia Group says that decking is expected to grow by about 20 percent annually to become a 3.6-billion-lineal-foot industry by 2011. Secondly, the decking market is growing in sophistication. Decking contractors are no longer banging galvy 10d nails in CCA #2 southern yellow pine, as we did in the 1980s. Today decks are part of so-called outdoor living space, and that has even developed into a designer specialty.

For dealers and contractors alike, decks and deck building material offer good-margin, low-maintenance products to customers, who are increasingly willing to pay premiums for products that they will proudly display in high-profile areas of their homes. Today, although decking is still a product that most general-contractors offer, you are seeing an increased number of specialty deck-only operations, and there is a great opportunity for dealers to cater to them.

Decking in the broadest sense of the word now includes four category of products: All-plastic decking, Wood, Composites, and—increasingly uncommon—Aluminum.

The all-plastic decking products are different from “composite decking,” which contains plastic and fiber (more on that below), and plastic decking breaks down into sub-categories by differentiating themselves from one another by the source and type of plastic, and sometimes by the plastic’s recyclability. The most popular choices of deck plastics break out into five categories:

1. Common HDPE  (#2, milk jugs);
2. Recycled high-density polyethylene plastic (ReHDPE);
3. Polypropylene (think Tupperware);
4. Solid polyvinyl chloride a.k.a. PVC;
5. Cellular PVC (polyvinyl chloride with a foaming agent).

 (It important to know the difference between the types of plastic, because they are also used in composite decking material.)

With so many kinds of plastic, manufactures of all-plastic decks will point out differences in the plastics they use, especially where the plastics come from. Marketers of decking will take great pride in features like “virgin plastic,” or a high percentage of “post consumer resins” (PCR), and even “100% recyclable.” Also, since plastic decking can be manufactured through extrusion (that is, product that is pushed through a mould), even the speed of extrusion can be a selling factor, because a product that is extruded too quickly is considered poorer quality.

Whether you are dealing with all-plastic decking or composites, HDPE is the most commonly used product. It performs very well in most situations, and expands only along its length, like vinyl siding. Plus, it does not swell, as many lumber products will. Manufactures argue that it retains color well. Plus, the all-plastic product is entirely recyclable.

Another product, all-plastic PVC decking generally has resistance to scratching, staining, and fading that is superior to composite decking. But PVC decking has been getting slammed for the toxicity of the manufacturing process, which can release mercury and dioxin. That said, there is a green case to be made for PVC’s performance and durability, and it goes like this: If you use PVC (in all-plastic or composite products), you are less likely to harvest, manufacture, and ship replacement products, which therefore makes PVC a viable alternative to wood. What’s greener: a 30-year plastic or PVC deck…or a wood deck that has to harvested, shipped, installed and shoveled into the landfill three times in those three decades?

Now, on to composite decking. It’s called composite or synthetic decking because it has more than one component, and this class of decking has some characteristics of wood and some of plastic. Most composite wood decking is created when wood is added to plastic resin (usually polyethylene). Since the properties of composite decking vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, marketers will differentiate their products using various metrics or features, most notably:

• The source of their plastics (“post-consumer” is considered greener),
• The percent of recycled plastic (for those who want to use recycled products),
• The percent of virgin plastic (for those who don’t want to use recycled plastics because of perceived quality issues),
• The source of the non-plastic components used (recovered wood is the greenest alternative),
• The quality of the post-consumer resin used in the plastic (you don’t want chopped-up milk and vitamin labels in the deck boards),
• The color-fast properties of the decking (fading is so common among some it’s sometimes called a “mellowing process”),
• The surface feel and slip-resistance,
• The structural performance of the product (look for 16 o-c span-ability),
• The UV-protection the decking (anything to frustrate the sun’s punishing rays), and
• The deck board’s weight per board food (for transportation, easy handling during installation, and span loading).

 For a good composite example, let’s look at a popular product and see how it presents itself in these categories. Latitudes composite wood decking is made with both recycled and virgin polyethylene, and 100% of the wood additive is reclaimed product. Indeed, Latitudes is made from approximately 70% recycled materials. It’s “barefoot friendly,” slip-resistant, and reversible with a brushed finish on one side, and a wood grain look on the other, so you can choose look-and-feel. Latitudes comes in six colors—gray, cedar, redwood and walnut, and the specialty colors of Koa and Adobe in the tropical wood-look Latitudes Capricorn composite decking.

No matter what composite deck boards you're looking for, be sure they can span 16-o.c. joists, and that they comply with the all the crucial codes and standards. Look for a warranty of at least 10 years, and it should cover splintering, corrosion, as well as rot, warp, cupping, checks, or damage caused by termites or fungal decay. And finally, urge your customers to purchase premium products, for their own sake. If they always use low cost as the ultimate metric of value, they risk their reputations, as well as the prospect for annoying callbacks that are hard to solve without painful and costly tear-outs.

Even with the economy woes, homeowners are still interested in improving their homes — whether to enhance resale value or personal enjoyment — and they’re looking for improvements with the biggest payback. 

Decks remain a top renovation, often cited as delivering the highest return on investment and homeowner enjoyment. The outdoor living trend is likely to remain strong this year, and a great deck is the showpiece of your outdoor environment. 

Now, one of the most popular looks in natural wood decking — tropical hardwood — is available in a composite form. Latitudes Capricorn composite deck lumber features two tropical colors, Adobe and Koa, that mimic the woodgrain and colors of mahogany and ipe.

Composite wood decking remains a leading choice for savvy homeowners who seek a low-maintenance, great-looking, eco-friendly deck. Latitudes Decking is a composite lumber material made from a mix of recycled wood fiber and high-density polyethylene. 

So if you're looking to ride the tropical wave of ultra-low maintenance composite decking material, consider Latitudes Capricorn for your outdoor living space. 

If you're thinking about having a new dock built or are about to replace an existing dock, then consider two popular types of decking material—natural lumber decking and composite lumber decking. Each type of dock / deck building material has it's own unique benefits, and each has passed the test of time in unforgiving elements.

 

Natural Lumber Decking

Pressure-treated wood decking is a great option for a tighter budget. The classic look of wood gives a more rustic feel, and can be stained or painted to match virtually any color scheme. Pressure-treated decking can be notched for installation of hidden deck fasteners for a clean, fastener-free appearance.

Tropical hardwood has a highly desired exotic look and is very durable. Hardwood species like Ipe have been known to last over twenty years. Tropical decking like Abaco can span greater distances to accommodate wide 24" on center joist spacing. Some hardwood decking comes pre-grooved for use with a hidden fastener system.

 

Composite Lumber Decking

Composite decking is manufactured from wood fiber and plastic to form a plank that requires less maintenance and typically has a longer lifespan than natural wood decking. Composite lumber is similar in cost to tropical hardwood and has many of the same benefits. Like tropical hardwood, Latitudes Marine composite decking allows for long 24" on-center joist spans. Latitudes Marine also incorporates a profiled edge specifically designed for docks, boardwalks and walkways. Additional benefits of composite lumber decking is that it's barefoot friendly, slip-resistant and comes in a variety of colors that never need to be sealed or stained.

 

When custom homebuilder Scott Gregory decided it was time to put a deck on his lake cottage, he did what many builders do when they have the chance to work on their own property: He tried some new things. The result is an amazing outdoor living space with multiple levels, designated purpose areas, built-in seating, curves and innovative use of color.

His goal with his deck? To create a space his family and their guests could enjoy, while also perfecting innovative building techniques that he can incorporate into the outdoor spaces he builds for his clients.

The National Association of Homebuilders says trends in outdoor living continue to grow. It’s a niche that doesn’t look to be going away any time soon, with outdoor living areas remaining a major draw for home buyers and existing home owners.

Gregory’s summer home, located on White Lake in Whitehall, Mich., gets a lot of action during the summer. His family includes young children, and he and his wife often entertain at the cottage. Many of their most frequent visitors just happen to have large families, so having 12 to 15 people around over a weekend is common.

Because he wanted an expansive space for outdoor living, Gregory took the time to really think about how the space would be used and to plan for enough space for everyone.

He wanted separate areas for cooking, eating, sunning and partying. He also wanted to make sure the composite decking material he used would be low maintenance, slip resistant and splinter free, since tiny feet often ran across the deck on their way in and out of the water.

In addition, harsh winters in Michigan can wreak havoc on anything outdoors. Through the years, Gregory learned that cedar and pressure treated lumber often require yearly maintenance after being exposed to severe cold and moisture. Although he has built many cedar decks, he recently switched allegiances to man-made materials that offer lower maintenance and more variety in appearance.

For his own deck, Gregory wanted to visually separate the spaces. And with over 1,600 square feet of decking spread out over five different levels, composite materials allowed him the variety to do that. Gregory chose to use composite decking material from Universal Forest Products, a composite lumber product made from a combination of plastics and 100% reclaimed wood.

What Latitudes allowed him to do was to mix and match different colors, use hidden deck fasteners and create interesting curves for seating, built-in planter boxes and other custom details.

“I’ve always wanted to experiment with curves on a deck, but oftentimes the homes I build for my clients have to conform to neighborhood conventions or a homeowner’s relatively conservative vision,” says Gregory. “With my own deck I had the opportunity to test the materials and see just how versatile they could be.”

Not only was Gregory able to incorporate twists and curves, but he also infused his deck with a nautical star inlay—a compass rose that accents the main deck area and creates a focal point attracting his guests’ attention.

“We’ve created a deck that accommodates a lot of people and several different purposes. We have a hot tub and sunning area, a grilling area that is near the kitchen, a bar area perched high up so that adults can keep an eye on kids and water activities, an eating area and a cozy fire pit for enjoying the chill of a Michigan evening,” he says.

Through his business, Scott Gregory Designer Homes, Gregory finds his outdoor living projects to be among the most enjoyable. It’s a growing part of his business, particularly as homeowners take advantage of low interest rates and a huge variety of innovative products for use in creating comfortable outdoor living areas.

“Outdoor stuff is fun to build. Not only does it offer an opportunity for creativity, but it adds true value to an existing home and my clients just love it,” he says. “More and more of the custom homes I build take into account large outdoor living areas. When we first started 20 years ago, we would build relatively small decks on the back side of homes. Today we are adding expansive decks and patio spaces that literally wrap a home with added living space. New building materials make it possible to be creative, and products like Latitudes are incredibly versatile for work of this type.”

For more information on Latitudes Decking and Railing and a wide variety of other products designed for outdoor living, visit www.latitudesdeck.com.

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Create your own one-of-a-kind deck surface by adding a deck inlay or border accent. To add a personal touch of flair, consider incorporating a unique deck design that uses multiple colors of composite lumber decking along with different surface patterns (woodgrain, brushed or smooth). Most composite wood manufacturers offer dual-sided boards that feature two distinct finishes on one plank. Whether you're looking to incorporate a sophisticated design, like a compass rose, or simply adding a contrasting border color or deck surface, composite wood decking is one of the most versatile deck building materials available. What's more, most composite deck material can be cut and shaped like typical wood for decking.

Whether cleaning pressure treated wood decking or synthetic / composite decking material, many of the same cleaning agents are effective on both surface types.

Many deck wash/cleaners contain sodium percarbonate and a detergent, which works well on normal dirt and grime and bleaches out mold and mildew stains. An oxygen bleach-based formula is another great alternative. It's effective in removing mildew stains and the weathered grey residue from UV (sunlight) degradation. Both cleaners are environmentally safe and will not harm plants or animals, damage wood's cell structure or leave a bleached-out look.

Oxalic acid cleaners are effective on rust stains left from metal furniture.

Commercial degreasers contain propylene glycol, sodium hydroxide, and various detergents for removing grease and oil stains.

Spot removers/thinners can be used sparingly on particularly stubborn grease or oil stains, but should be washed off quickly with water as they will attack the grain pattern. These normally include petroleum distillates, xylene, methanol, acetone, or other organic solvents.

Since composite wood decking is low maintenance, periodic washing with soap and water will remove surface dirt and chalk that accumulate on the composite deck surface. This will also prevent the buildup of pollen and debris that can cause mold and mildew growth.

Pressure washers (with fan-tip nozzle) should be used for wetting and rinsing only. Pressure washers should not be used to “blast off” soiling agents; attempting to do so can drive the dirt deeper into the composite deck boards. In most cases, applying the cleaning agent with a pump sprayer and scrubbing thoroughly with a synthetic brush will clean the surface.

Grime, Ground-in Dirt, Rust
In most cases, soap and water will maintain the appearance of composite decking material. If grime, ground-in dirt or rust marks become a problem, use a cleaning product with an oxalic acid base. Do not use bleach, abrasive cleansers or pads when cleaning.

Mold
Mold may form on any surface where moisture is prevalent, where there is heavy shading, or where pollen and debris are allowed to collect. To remove mold, use conventional deck washers or cleaners that contain sodium percarbonate and detergent. These cleaners can be found at most home centers.

Don’t let the footprint of an oversized grill station, bench or storage box take up your deck's entertainment area—maximize your space with a deck kick-out. If you're considering remodeling an existing deck, or if you’ll be constructing a new deck, consider incorporating a kick-out to create added deck space. Deck kick-outs look great with virtually any type of decking material, like lumber decking and composite wood decking. They're also especially useful if you plan to entertain, but have limited space. You may even decide to have multiple kick-outs in your design plan, as they will provide an added dimension and even more useable real estate. Once your deck kick-outs are in place, highlight them as showpieces for the master-griller and casual lounger.

The small investment you spend on additional framing, deck supplies and labor is well worth the space you'll gain in return—not to mention, it just looks better.

If you prefer the look of a deck surface without exposed nails or screw-heads, then consider using a hidden fastener system. Using hidden deck fasteners is a great way to hide unsightly screw holes in both pressure treated decking and composite wood decking. These deck accessories can be used on virtually any type of decking material, from composite wood and pressure treated wood, to tropical hardwoods.

The most popular hidden fasteners are made of UV resistant plastic or metal. These hidden fasteners include Equator (made specifically for composite decking), TigerClaw, Eb-Ty and Lumber Loc.

With a hidden fastener system, you'll give your deck an extra clean touch without any visible blemishes like nail pops or mushrooms.